WSJ Magazine Executive Style Editor David Farber heads off to Ralph Lauren's Purple Room to find out how to choose the best-fitting made-to-measure suit. A made to measure suit is just one step down from a bespoke suit, which is custom made from the ground up to perfectly fit the customer with a unique pattern.
A made to measure suit is made from one of several stock patterns, then altered to fit the customer. Both are much more expensive than off the rack suits, which are bought off the rack and worn out the door, perhaps with some minor alterations.
The Ralph Lauren made to measure suits retail for around $23,000. There is a choice of fabrics and styles. After extensive measurements are taken, the measurements are sent off to Italy. The suits are made intentionally with a lot of fabric, so that if you gain weight over the years, it can be let out. The quality of the fabric and the perfect fit is why these suits look so fabulous. Take a look:
